-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lance Armstrong has been asked to return all prize money from his seven annulled Tour de France victories by the sport 's governing body , who confirmed the history books will show no winner of the famous race between 1999-2005 .

The disgraced American operated `` the most sophisticated , professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen , '' according to the United States Anti-Doping Agency -LRB- USADA -RRB- .

At a meeting at their Swiss headquarters , the International Cycling Union -LRB- UCI -RRB- also announced an independent commission would examine its handling of the Armstrong case .

The 41-year-old is still to comment on claims he consistently used performance enhancing drugs throughout his career , though he has decided not to contest the case .

In a written response , Armstrong 's office asserts that witness testimony to USADA is contradictory to prior testimony ; that witnesses testified only after Armstrong decided not to contest the USADA proceeding ; and that USADA offered sweetheart deals to active riders in exchange for their testimony .

But the UCI is determined to pursue him for the riches he received as a result of his seven straight victories in cycling 's most prestigious race , while confirming the record books will be left blank .

A statement on the UCI 's official website read : `` With respect to Lance Armstrong and the implications of the USADA sanctions which it endorsed on Monday 22 October , the Management Committee decided not to award victories to any other rider or upgrade other placings in any of the affected events .

`` The committee decided to apply this ruling from now on to any competitive sporting results disqualified due to doping for the period from 1998 to 2005 , without prejudice to the statute of limitation .

`` The International Cycling Union -LRB- UCI -RRB- has asked Lance Armstrong to return all the prize money he won from his seven Tour de France victories , that have been struck off due to allegations of doping .

`` The UCI Management Committee acknowledged that a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over this dark period -- but that while this might appear harsh for those who rode clean , they would understand there was little honor to be gained in reallocating places . ''

The UCI and its president Pat McQuaid has come under fire for not picking up Armstrong 's doping , despite testing him over 200 times .

There are also question marks about a $ 100,000 donation from Armstrong to the UCI in 2002 , revealed in USADA 's report , but McQuaid insists there was no cover up in regard to Armstrong 's activities .

Former Tour de France winner Greg LeMond called on McQuaid and the UCI 's honorary president Hein Verbruggen to resign over their handling of the case .

He said the pair had abused their power and that cycling would not be able to move on unless they were to quit . The UCI declined to comment on the story when contacted by CNN .

LeMond 's views were echoed by Scott Mercier , a former cyclist with the U.S. Postal Service team before Armstrong joined them , who claims he quit the sport after being asked to use banned substances .

He told CNN : `` The sport is going to have some tough times and I think there needs to be a leadership change for it to really be able to move forward .

`` The leadership needs to be held accountable ; if you look at the business world the CEO would either resign or be fired . The management committee did not do that . It is still the same guys who were there during this and I do n't think it 's nearly enough . ''

The UCI said it would soon appoint a fully independent external commission that would look into the role it played during the Armstrong affair and report no later than June next year .

It has also decided to suspend legal action against former Sunday Times journalist Paul Kimmage who accused them , as well as Quaid and Verbruggen , of corruption , until after the commission reports .

McQuaid said in the same UCI statement that it was `` determined to turn around this painful episode in the history of our sport . ''

`` We will take whatever actions are deemed necessary by the independent Commission and we will put cycling back on track , '' he added .

`` Today , cycling is a completely different sport from what it was in the period 1998-2005 . Riders are now subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport .

`` Nevertheless , we have listened to the world 's reaction to the Lance Armstrong affair and have taken these additional decisive steps in response to the grave concerns raised . ''

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Cycling 's governing body ask Lance Armstrong to return all his Tour de France prize money

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Disgraced cyclist had his seven Tour de France victories struck off due to doping

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UCI opt not to reassign Armstrong 's titles in what it calls a `` dark period ''

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It also decides to suspend its legal action against journalist Paul Kimmage